The 4 Things You Inherit From Your Mother

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18February2018

From your looks to your behaviours...

That old cliché about every woman turning into her mother might not be so ridiculous after all: science says your mum directly influences many of the things that make you, you – from your intelligence to your behaviour in romantic relationships.

While genetics are undoubtedly a highly complex matter, numerous studies have suggested that we can inherit some specific characteristics and qualities from our mums, whether by nature, nurture or a complicated mix of the two.

So, whether you and your mum look like twins or couldn't be more opposite, science says these are the five things you probably 'got' from her...

1. Your intelligenceIt looks like you probably got your brains from mum, not dad. A large study by researchers from Glasgow's Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit looked at over 12,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 22 to determine which factors affect intelligence, including socio-economic status and education.

And, lo and behold, the best predictor of intelligence was found to be their mother's IQ. In fact, the participants' IQs only varied by an average of 15 points from their mums'.

2. Your sleeping patternsIf you have difficulties sleeping, it might be time to your blame your mother. Research published in the journal Sleep Medicine last year suggests that mums pass on their sleeping habits to their kids, and that the children of insomniac mothers tend to fall asleep later and get less rest. Interestingly enough, the scientists did not see the same link with dads.

That said, if your mum could fall asleep anywhere, we guess you're in luck!

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany found that DNA from the mitochondria – which we inherit exclusively from our mothers – may partly control the rate of ageing.

That said, the study was on mice, not humans, and the team admitted that further research was needed. Chatting about the 2013 findings to LiveScience, study researcher Nils-Göran Larsson said: "We have used a set of experimental conditions to establish our results, and we think they are applicable to humans, but of course, this has to be proven through human studies."

4. When you go through the menopauseIt seems as if the age at which you go through the menopause may be inherited from your mum. A 2011 study by the UK's Institute of Cancer Research on over 2,000 women found that both early and late menopause – defined as taking place before the age of 45, or after 55 – may run in families.

Women whose mothers or sisters went through the menopause either early or late were found to be six times more likely to do the same.

However, the team stressed that it's not all down to genetics, as lifestyle factors can also play a part. For instance, women who smoke tend to go through the menopause on-to-two years earlier, study author Danielle Morris told Reuters.